Recovery

Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with Voices of Hope in a vibrant blue, Ethan Hawes pushes their straight black hair over a shoulder and starts to work making phone calls under the steady gaze of a plush hedgehog on the corner of the desk. "Hi, this is Ethan calling from Voices of Hope. How are you doing today?”

It goes like that for about 30 minutes as Hawes works through a contact list. Some don’t answer. Some just can’t chat.

“Okay, darling. Well, how about just give us a call back when you have a few minutes? Okay. Alright, sounds good.”

Located in South Charleston, West Virginia, the former church turned restaurant has a funky, yet calming vibe. Twinkle lights and mismatched dining room sets dot the space. For $8 to $10 a plate, diners can enjoy a locally-sourced meal. The menu today is apple sage pork tips, spiralized zucchini (or “zoodles”), roasted broccoli, and a salad of spinach grown just a few miles away.

Autumn McCraw helped prepare today’s meal. The 35-year-old Charleston resident sports a maroon apron and greets every customer with a smile. Her days here typically start around 8 a.m.

Bailey Holt and Preston Cope, both sophomores, died on January 23, 2018 after police say a fellow student took his step-father’s pistol from a closet at home and opened fire on a group of students before school started.